1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard disk drive (HDD), and more particularly, to a HDD having a disk damper for damping the vibrations of rotating disks and a disk protector for protecting recording surfaces of the disks from an external shock.
2. Description of Related Art
Hard disk drives (HDDs) that store information on computers read or write data on a disk using a read/write head. In an HDD, the read/write head performs its function by being moved by an actuator to a desired position a specified height over a recording surface of the rotating disk.
HDDs include a spindle motor, one or more data storage disks mounted on the spindle motor, and an actuator for moving a read/write head for reading and writing data to a specified position on the disks.
The disk, the spindle motor, and the actuator are surround by a housing consisting of a base member and a cover member. The base member and the cover member are assembled using a plurality of fastening screws.
In an HDD constructed as above, the rotating disks may flutter due to structural defects of the spindle motor, deflection of the disks during an assembly process and turbulent air flow inside the HDDs. In particular, non-negligible air flow is generated around the rapidly rotating disks, for example, in a space between the disks. The air flow causes the disks to vibrate and interfere with data writing and reading operations of the read/write head, thereby negatively affecting the performance of the HDDs.
In an attempt to solve the problems, it is known to insert a thin plate-shaped disk damper has been between adjacent disks. The disk damper can deaden the vibrations of the disks by damping effect of the compressed air between the disks.
However, if an abrupt external impact is applied to the HDD having the disk damper (e.g., during a shock test), the disks are deflected and easily contact the disk damper, thereby damaging data recording surfaces of the disks. Further, it is also probable that the disk damper will make contact with the disks during the installation of the disk damper, thereby damaging the data recording surfaces of the disks.